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Fake Medico Remanded

Solomon Adekalie Kamara, 32, was yesterday sent to the Pademba Road Male Correctional Centre on remand following his arraignment for allegedly posing as a certified medical doctor.

The accused was arrested on 26th January by Detective Police Constable 15203 and arraigned before Magistrate Santigie Bangura, presiding at the Siaka Steven Street Magistrates’ Court No.1 on two counts of willfully pretending to be a medical practitioner contrary to Section 41 (a) of the Medical and Surgeon Act of 1994 and Forgery contrary to Section 2 (1) (c) of the Forgery Act of 1913.

According to Assistant Superintendent of Police Hawa Bah, the accused on Tuesday, 26th December, 2017 at Pentagon-Malamah in Freetown, willfully pretended to be a medical practitioner by practising medicine.

The prosecution also alleged that on the same date and place, the accused with intent to defraud, forged a medical student certificate from College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences, purporting to have been prepared and signed by Doctor Zainab Bangura, former Minister of Health and Sanitation, knowing same to be false.

Defence Counsel V. T. Biandoma applied for the accused person to be granted bail on the grounds that the matter before the court was an allegation and that the accused should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

He added that the accused had reliable sureties that were ready to stand in his recognisance and that he would always turn up whenever the matter comes up.

However, his bail application was opposed by ASP Bah, who canvassed the Bench to consider the seriousness of the offence, adding that the accused has no fixed abode and would interfere with prosecution witnesses, if put on bail.

Magistrate Bangura upheld the objection of the prosecution and adjourned the matter to Monday, 5th January, when the first prosecution witness is expected to testify.